The Life of Lily and James
by lalez
Summary: Being a teenager is never easy and living in Tree Hill isn't helping at all. What is going on in the lives of the younger generation. Jamie and Lily are teens now and together with their friends they have a pretty turbulent live. Come and see. Credit for the idea goes to hotscott23. Thanks for letting me use your outline ;)
1. Pilot

**This is the idea of **_**hotscott23**_**. I read **_**One Tree Hill Spin-off**_** and decided to write out the ideas. Basically this is a project to get my inspiration back. So now you know where you can get spoilers and if you do sneak leave a review. ****I hope to update every two or three days and if you have comments on my writing ... they are appreciated.  


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The sun is shining brightly and a teenage boy with blond hair sits in his SUV tapping his fingers impatiently at the dashboard. He sighs audibly when the passenger side door opens and a beautiful brunette girl gets in the car.

"What?" she asks him and rolls her eyes behind her sunglasses.

"You took forever Lily and we are supposed to pick up Chelsea, Michael and Sophia! They are already waiting!" the teen explained and put the car to drive.

"Oh poor Jamie. Is your girlfriend getting impatient? Come on you've seen Chelsea last night at the movies!" Lily teased him and laughed.

"Yeah I know but that was like ten hours ago!" Jamie replied back and then, to prevent any further teasing, turned up the music.

On the way to the beach Lily had to leave her shot gun place, so that Chelsea could sit next to Jamie. Chelsea is a beautiful girl with long dark blond hair and she was wearing only a beach dress over her bikini and matching flip flops on her feet. From her backseat place Lily asked teasingly

"And when do I get company?" and Jamie hit the breaks in front of a light brown haired guy sporting swim trunks, an unbuttoned Hawaii shirt, flip flops and sunglasses.

"What about now?" Jamie turned around to bump his fist with Michaels and greeted him. "Hey Mike. Now we only have to pick up Sophia and we can hit the beach."

And he was met with a loud "Shut up and drive!" from his friends.

After they had also picked up Sophia they soon arrived at the beach and put their towels down. The guys instantly ran towards the waves and the girls decided to tan a little first. All three girls are on the cheerleading squad and so they started to talk.

"Who do you think is going to be captain this year? I mean with Brianna gone." Sophia wondered.

"You?!" Lily offered with a smile and went on "I mean you want to do it, right?"

"And you've already been co-captain last year!" Chelsea chimed in.

"I know but still it is Coach Scotts decision!" Sophia said but than her eyes lit up and she turned to Chelsea fully "But you could ask Jamie to put in a good word for me. I mean he is his father after all!"

"I don't know. Come on we all know you are going to be cheer captain." Chelsea replied back and then tried to change the subject.

"Has anyone the new Mia Catalano album yet?" and Lily started to search for her I-pod in her purse.

"I have it. Well being the sister in law of the producer has its perks after all!"She said with a wink and gave her I-Pod to Chelsea to borrow.

"How are they? I mean your brother and his wife." Sophia asked.

"They are still in New York and I miss them but hey at least I get free CD's every now and then."

"I heard your brother is going to release a new book soon and oh wonder it is a love story, again. Does he know how to write something else?" Chelsea asked.

"I am not sure but to be honest I never read one of his books. They are all about Peyton, supposedly." Lily replied annoyed.

"Where did you get the dress Sophia?" Chelsea asked admiring the obviously knew piece of clothing. Well knew clothes were nothing unusually with Sophia, her parents have the money and she loves to shop.

"It is from the new Summer Line of Clothes over Bros!" Sophia explained proudly and Lily had to bite her tongue to not let it slip that that dress hung in her closet weeks before it was for sale.

"Lily , your top and skirt look new too. Did you buy it while you were in Europe with your Mom and Andy?"

"Yeah we went to Paris to visit my aunt Brooke and she gave it to me. Maybe she'll make a punk line soon. I mean she already has sketches done but not enough yet." Lily explained patiently.

"Come on let's go and join the guys. I need to cool down a little." Chelsea said and sprinted of in the direction of her man.

Jamie and Mike had discussed sport while they were alone and Michael has confessed to Jamie on who he has a secret crush.

"So then ask her out. It is not so hard. And really it is okay!" Michael pointed behind Jamie and when the Scott boy turned his girlfriend jumped in his arms.

"Did you miss me?" she asked smiling brightly and kissed him.

After a little while of goofing around in the water the five teens went back to their towels to dry up and chat.

"So this is our last week of freedom before school starts, what are we going to do?" Sophia asked her friends.

"Mhh why not have a party?" Lily proposed and her friends nodded their heads in approval.


	2. Party Like A Rock Star

**A/N: So here is Chapter 2. I hope you enjoy it. And please leave a note (i mean review). I really appreciate them ... Enjoy

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"_So this is our last week of freedom before school starts, what are we going to do?" Sophia asked her friends. "Mhh why not have a party?" Lily proposed and her friends nodded their heads in approval. _

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"Now we only need a cool location!" Michael said and the teens all start to think.

"What about your grandpa's beach house that would be great. 'End of Summer Beach Party'!" Sophia said but Lily knew better.

"No Dan will be home this weekend but I heard of a house that will be free!" the only Scott girl said with a knowing smile in her eyes when she turned to face her nephew.

The others followed her gaze and Chelsea squealed happily. "Your parents are gone for the weekend? That is even better! Pool Party it is!" Jamie contemplated that thought a little while and then said

"Okay but we have to keep it under cover! My parents can't know and you will have to help me set and clean! Deal?" he held his hand out for the others to put theirs on top.

Michael knew just the right words. "One for all and all for one!" he put his hand in the circle and the girls joined and with a loud "One for all and all for one!" they sealed their deal.

Now they only had to get the word out but in the age of cell phones, IM and blogs and especially twitter that was a matter of seconds. No question within minutes the phones of the five teens rang instantly asking if they needed help with something like a DJ or alcohol or food. To keep the food simple they decided on a barbeque and the alcohol was kept a beer at least that was the plan.

Coming Friday Haley and Nathan leave to have a nice weekend to themselves."And remember to water the plants and if you use the stove or microwave clean them after wards!" Haley reminded Jamie for the hundredth time.

"Yes mom! I am going to be a good boy. Wanna pat my head?" he asks sarcastically and his parents stare at him incredulously.

"Ok young man that is enough! You apologize now or your permission to play ball is gone!" Nathan says in a stern voice and Jamie coyly mumbles a "Sorry."

With a last good bye kiss and another set of 'reminders' the adults leave and Jamie pulls out his cell. When the other end picks up he simply says "We can set up!" and within minutes Michael pulls up in SUV and the five friends start to get ready for the party.

Lily and Michael are in charge of loading the IPod and so they retreat into Jamie's room to create the perfect 'End of Summer Pool Party Mix' as Lily calls it. While sorting through the huge collection on Jamie's hard drive Mike grows somewhat distant and Lily worries a little about that. Lily had discovered a group that does covers of current hits but with a rock'n roll spin and she wants to put some of their songs in the mix.

"Come on 'The Baseballs' are great! Here listen to 'I kissed a girl' it is great!" and she puts it on.

Mike throws up his hand in surrender and says "Okay I give up! You can decide but you owe me!"

"Oh and how can I pay you?" Lily asks innocently smiling.

Michael shifts awkwardly in his seat on the computer chair and starts stuttering

"ehm… Yeah… Would you… You could… I mean would you be my date for tonight?" by the time he finally managed to get that out his face was beet red and he felt so humiliated.

After a couple of seconds of silence he says "It's okay. I get it!" and he starts for the door.

"No stop!" Lily shouts and crosses the room to stand in front of him. "I'd love to go as your date."

"I am sensing a but coming …" the boy says shyly.

"When did you get so insecure? But yeah there was a but coming!" Lily continued but stopped when she saw him cringing at insecure and both but's. "What?"She asks worried.

"Nothing! I… You make me so insecure! What did you want to say? Just shoot! I can take it!" he responds and somehow his normal confident smirk reappears.

"I was going to say but only if we can go on a real date sometime soon!" Lily says with a huge smile on her face and then she leans up to lightly peck the boy's lips.

Michaels world suddenly stopped and he only snapped back into reality when he heard the sound of the door bell and Lily pulls on his hand "Let's get this party started!" she snatches the IPod and the Docking Station and they go outside to meet all their friends.

The clock was showing almost midnight when a dark small car pulled in the drive way of the Scott house and two figures got out of it.

"Why are all these cars here? Did they forget to invite us to a party?" the man asks and his female companion started to laugh.

"You cannot seriously believe that! I would bet the teens have an End of Summer Party. But I don't know why they wouldn't use the beach house."

"That would be because I am at home!" comes a third voice out of the dark.

"Dan what are you doing here?" asks the young man annoyed.

"Nathan and Haley went to Charlotte for the weekend and asked that I check up on Jamie and I am pretty sure they don't know about this gathering!"

"Dan is right Lucas. Haley didn't mention Jamie throwing a party!" Deb says while walking over to the little group of adults.

"Well than let's crash and break it up!" Peyton announces and walks around the corner to pull the plug on the music.

She is met with a sight she remembers from her high school years. Teens dancing, drinking and making out all over the place and some are also swimming in the pool. As soon as the music stops all teens turn to see who 'destroyed' the fun and one girl turns in the arms of a boy and starts

"Who touched my…!" but the words die in her throat when she sees her brother, his wife, and her aunt and uncle standing on the porch.

Lucas claps his hands and shouts "Everyone who has not Scott as a last name leave! Now!" and all teens start moving as fast as they can because no one wants their parents to know they have been drinking.

Lily says goodbye to Michael and then slowly walks over to face her brother. She tries to be the picture of innocence but that is not really working with Luke and Peyton.

"So. Can you explain this?" her brother asks in a stern voice.

"We were having a party!" she says in a 'duh' voice and crosses her arms in front of her chest.

Deb, who looked around checking if everyone was leaving suddenly, asks "Where is Jamie or did you do this alone?"

"Maybe he went inside?" Peyton mentions and then volunteers to go looking.

Outside Lily has to start cleaning up and the three remaining adults discuss calling the teen's parents now or tell them in the morning and decide on the later. Meanwhile Peyton opens every door in the house starting with the guest rooms remembering what she and Brooke did on parties. The third door she tries is Jamie's room and after a sharp knock she enters and finds the previously named and Chelsea entangled under the covers.

"Party is over!" she shouts and the teens jump away from each other.

"P ... Peyton!?" Jamie manages to stutter out.

"Get dressed and then help Lily clean up! About this…" she points at the two. "We are going to talk later!" and she pulls the door shut behind her and goes back outside to tell the others.

Jamie and Chelsea take a couple of minutes to get dressed and then the girl hurries to leave. The Scott teens clean the house and garden under the supervision of four adults and then go to bed.

The next morning when Jamie gets up he smells freshly brewed coffee and pancakes from the kitchen. On his way downstairs he meets Lily

"Morning. Do you think they already called our parents?"

"I am sure of it!" the girl replies back and when they enter the kitchen they see that she is right. Karen is already there and Peyton is on the phone with someone.

"Yes he just came in! No, you can yell at him later. Face to face is more effective! See you later Scott! Hey it is Scott!" is what Jamie can hear and the last part tells him with whom she was talking and he wishes for a whole to open and swallow him. Lily already gets scolded for being so irresponsible and throwing a party without permission or supervision and after breakfast she leaves with Karen.


	3. Mercy

**A/N: Hey you guys. So here is the next part. Hope you like it. And for those you read any of my other s**to**ries. The next chapter for Storm of Love is nearly ready.**

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"_Why are all these cars here? Did they forget to invite us to a party?"_

"_Party is over!" she shouts and the teens jump away from each other. "__P. Peyton!?" Jamie manages to stutter out. "Get dressed and then help Lily clean up! About this…" she points at the two. "We are going to talk later!" and she pulls the door shut behind her and goes back outside to tell the others. _

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Lucas and Peyton stayed with Jamie who was banned to his room while waiting for his parents. The teen thought at first that staying in his room wouldn't be much of a punishment but after Peyton and Lucas has taken his IPod and computer all he had left were books and reading was not really his favorite thing to do. Just when he was about to start texting his Mike the door opened and Lucas held out his hand.

"Cell phone please!"

"Arrgh You are mean!" Jamie shouted at his uncle.

"Oh just wait for your parents to come home. I believe you are grounded, just like your partner in crime is!" Lucas replied laughing and then left his nephew alone again.

Lucas and Peyton were sitting in the living room thinking back to their high school parties and were talking about the 'state championship party' Nathan had thrown in his parents' house and how he had managed to get Deb to clean it up when the other couple entered their home.

"Hey sorry to disrupt your vacation!" Peyton greets her friends and hugs them. The guys just bumped fists and Haley asked "So you really weren't joking when you told us about finding Jamie and Chelsea in bed together?"

"Unfortunately! But can you really scold him?" Peyton replies.

"Why not? I waited until I was married!" Haley gave back.

"You married Nate junior year!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Good point!"Nathan remarks but I believe that we can still use this for our argument." He pauses when he sees the confused expressions of his friends. "Come on you guys! Do the math!"

In that moment Haley clasps her hand over her mouth and mumbles "Oh my god!"

Peyton realizes quickly what her friend thinks and says "no I don't think she is, yet!"

Lucas signals Peyton that maybe it would be good if they left now and she nods. "Okay we are going to visit mom now. Good luck!" Lucas announces and they leave.

As soon as the front door is shut again Nathan hollers "James Lucas Scott!" and Jamie comes down the stairs.

He had had enough time to think of excuses but he couldn't really come up with one except that his parents had sex at his age too. Haley excused herself and checked her kitchen and the garden and then went to prepare her classes for Monday. Nathan decided the best way to go right now was the silent treatment and after a couple of minutes Jamie started the talking. At the end Nathan made Jamie understand that he has to be really careful about sex and he has to be sure about the girl and he made his son promise never to sleep with someone just for fun. Jamie once pointed out that his parents had managed to raise him and finish college but Nate explained him that that was only possible because Haley had the money from the tour and they both had jobs, were living with Lucas and on top he was in school on a scholarship. After this talk Jamie gets send back to his room and remains grounded because of the party.

The next morning in school Lily and Jamie get looks of pity because everyone can imagine what did happen to them when they faced their parents. In the quad they spot Michael and Chelsea sitting under a tree

"Do you see Sophia?" Lily asks scanning the place.

"No, I haven't seen her yet but she'll come! Late as always!" Jamie replies. By then they have reached the other two and after a brief 'Hello' Jamie and Chelsea disappear for a little alone time.

Meanwhile Peyton is in her first office in TRIC and she is thinking about how all started. The first recording session with Jason and the whole band and how Haley fired him and discovered Mia. Suddenly she heard the clicking of heals on the floor and when she looked up the girl in question was standing in the door.

"Hey Mia! I was just thinking about you!" she greeted and walked over to the brunette girl whom she considered a daughter.

"You were?"

"Yes it is good to see you. What brings you by?" the blonde woman asked and motioned for Mia to sit down.

"Well I got an offer from Mercury Records and they want to take me international. The deal is great and I am going to sign it!" Mia rushed through this and then looked down.

Peyton sat there quietly for a while and then spoke calmly. "I am not going to say that I am not happy for you but I am a little upset that you haven't mentioned this sooner. I mean it already is announced in the Internet." With the last part she turned her screen so Mia could see it.

"Sorry. I thought they would at least give me a chance to tell you!"

"It is okay Mia you deserve all the success you can get but don't forget where you came from!" Both women hugged after Mia had promised to come back once in a while.

Lily wandered around the school ground in search of her best friend who hadn't shown up. When she turned in the hall way of the tutor center she saw Sophia leaning on a locker talking to a guy whose face she couldn't see because his back was facing her. Lily approached the two talking teens and greeted her friend.

"Hey Soph. So this is the hold up?" she smiled at the guy and greeted him after she recognized him "Hey Kyle. Do you mind if I borrow her now?"

"No problem! And Sophia I'll see you at TRIC!" he kissed Sophia's cheek and ran off.

Lily looked at her friend and raised one eyebrow.

"So you are going out with Kyle Evans? How did that happen?" Sophia's face turned red and she bit her bottom lip.

"We have the same free period and so we started talking and well once thing led to another… and now we are going out on Friday!" she squealed happily and hugged her friend.

During lunch break Jamie was waiting for Lily by his car when one of the seniors came up to him and asked "Hey Scott! How does it feel that your grandpa killed your aunt's dad?" Jamie's jaw dropped and all the students in the parking lot turned their heads to see his reaction.

Lily came running towards her nephew and said with a quivering lip "They say that Dan killed Keith! Is it true?"

"I really don't know! But let's get home and ask!"

"If it is true how could they all know?" Lily asked and then James drove off.

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**A/N2: Before you all come yelling at me just a reminder. This was all written before season 6 aired. So Dan didn't confess to Jamie!**


	4. All at Once

**Woah ... that took me a long time! Is anyone still reading this? Just a few short reminders well one big one: This concept isn't mine (hotscott23's) and it was planned before the end of season 6! So now please enjoy and let me know you are still there!:)**

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"_They say that Dan killed Keith! Is it true?" ~"I really don't know! But let's get home and ask!" ~"If it is true how could they all know?" Lily asked and then James drove off._

After dropping of Lily at her home Jamie drove home with a thousand questions swirling around in his head and he intended to get the answers. With the Scott boy determination to score he stormed into his home and headed straight for the living room where his father was trying to wind down and relax.

"Whoa Jamie where is the fire and why are you home?"

"Dad I need you to be honest with me. Who is Jimmy Edwards?" Nathan palled, that name was absolutely the last one he wanted to explain to his son and to be absolutely honest he hadn't expected Jamie to ever ask about Jimmy. He gulped down dry and took the easy approach.

"Why do you want to know about Jimmy?"

"So you know him?" Jamie asks incredulously, he had hoped it was all a big bad joke but if his father knew that guy. But Nathan shook his head.

"I didn't know him but one day I knew about him and I know that he was a good friend of your mom and your uncles Lucas, Mouth and Skills, well he was part of the original River court group."

"So he was a friend of yours?" Another mute point. How do you explain your kid that once upon a time you hated their uncle and you were dating their aunt?

"Dad?"

"No Jamie, Jimmy wasn't a friend of mine and to be honest I was pretty mean to him."

"So it is true that bullying other people can lead to a shooting?" Jamie asks shocked.

"Yes! You know about the shooting in my senior year right?" James nodded his head yes and Nathan continued. "Well there was a lot of crap happening to a lot of good people but some good stuff took place too. Jimmy lost a lot of his friends and well got bullied all the time. And then the time capsule was opened and Jimmy got beaten up. The very next day he brought a gun to school."

"So and why are people saying Dan killed Keith?" Jamie interjected and Nathan stopped shocked.

"Where did you hear that?"

"At school they say Dan killed Keith but that can't be true. I mean if it were you wouldn't let me and Lily hang out with him, right?" Nathan grew more and more uncomfortable by the second. Why hadn't they told the kids sooner?

In the Roe household Karen hears the familiar banging of doors when Lily storms in but contrary to normal there was no 'Hi mom I am back!' Karen couldn't leave the stove and she chalked it up to a stressful day. Lily searched through her room, Lucas' old room and after a while she found what she was looking for, a leather bound book. She flipped it open and flipped through the pages until she saw the words 'the shooting' on top of the page. And there was her proof. Her whole family had been lying to her. Her father had died in the school but not because of some freak accident no her uncle had pulled the trigger. Lily fell apart. Her sobs rocked through her whole body and her tears soaked the pages in front of her. By now Karen had grown really worried. Lily would always come to her with her problems and so the older woman went to her child's room. Karen knocked softly and then entered. She saw Lily crying over a book in her lap.

"Lily what happened?" Karen asks and rushes to the teen's side. Lily is holding on desperately to the pages in her lap and crying. Karen notices the brown leather and pals slightly.

_Is this… _ ?

And that is then she notices the top page writing 'The shooting'.

"Lily, where did you find this?" she asks and pries the book away from her daughters grasps and puts it on the bedside table. Lily can't answer and solely points at the top shelf where Lucas still has some of his classics stored away.

"For Lily when she is older" Karen remembers his reasoning.

"Okay darling I am going to make us some hot chocolate and then we are going to talk." Karen says and goes to the kitchen but before she starts to heat the milk she picks up the phone to call in some enforcement.

"Luke why did you have to keep 'Ravens' in your old room?!"

Back at the Scott house Nathan just was about to explain about HCM and Dan nearly dying when Haley stormed in.

"James Lucas Scott you are in big trouble!" The Scott men jump up scared.

"Hales what's going on?" Nathan asks looking between his wife and son.

"Your son skipped his history class!" she told Nate and went on "And you better have a real good explanation for it mister!"

"The kids know!" Nathan offers and Haley looks like she has been struck by lightning.

"The kids know what, exactly?" she asks but she has a really bad feeling it is about the big secret.

"Mum! Did Grandpa really kill Keith?"

"Oh baby, we just wanted to protect you!"

"So it is true? Why would you let him near me or Lily? This so doesn't make any sense!" the teen starts to fume.

Haley and Nathan look helpless at each other. This is the moment when the phone rings. Haley gets up to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Foxy, does Jamie know?"

"Ehm yeah Peyton why? Oh no Lily!" the brown haired woman crys out.

"Yes Lily knows too and she found a copy of 'Ravens' so she is pretty upset. We figured it would be best to talk to them together."

"Together? Like all of us?"

"Yes and I also called Brooke because she can give some insight too. Meet us at Karen in ten?"

"Okay we will be there!" After hanging up Haley shortly explains the call and the trio heads out.

After Lucas and Peyton had hurried over to Karen's place. The adults quickly had decided on calling the rest of the family so that they could explain the whole mess together but sans Dan.

By the time the Scott trio arrived Lily had calmed down a little but she still had tears in her eyes and she held onto a picture of Keith with all her might. When Lily and Jamie saw each other they immediately engulfed the other in a big and bone crushing hug.


	5. World

**A/N: And the award for the worst updater ever goes to (insert drum roll here) ME! Okay joke aside here is an update. I really try to update more often but right now I am aplying for internships and so my studies kind of take priority. Let me know if you are still reading. Thanks for stopping by. ENJOY!

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**Lily and Jamie sat together on one of the sofas while the adults minus Brooke who couldn't back out of her meeting in New York took a turn in explaining themselves and why they thought it would be better not to tell the kids about this particular piece of their difficult past. Lily had just one question and Lucas tried to answer as best as he could.

"Why would you write a book about all of this when you didn't want us to find out the truth?"at this all eyes darted from Lily to Luke and back again. The adults all had an idea as to why Luke had written all of this but the kids couldn't know that. Lucas took a deep breath and started

"All of this has happened when we were just a little older than you are now and I wrote all of it down in an effort to deal with it. I wasn't the popular kid when I first started high school and neither was Haley for that matter but when I got on the team that all changed. So you could say this book is sort of my diary of that time and from what you know at first we all thought Jimmy had shot Keith. Only after all of this had calmed down again it was when I learned that Dan had done it and in the end he did the, well you could say honorable thing and turned himself in. He has paid his debt to society and so we didn't really wanted to burden you with this family's past."

The teens had accepted this explanation and then both left the house to think. Lily had snatched a set of keys from the hook near the door and went to the only place besides the graveyard where she felt close to her dad, his old shop. Here she could ponder on how to deal with this in school tomorrow. Jamie went to the cemetery and after a short stop at Keith's grave he went to kneel in front of a small headstone.

"Q I could really use your help!"

****Jamie and Lily****

Lukas and Peyton had to rush to the airport after the conversation had ended because they had to be back in New York in the evening and so Nathan drove them on his way back he stops by his father's place to tell him about the latest development and that he might have to explain himself to his niece and grandson.

"Hello son. What brings you here?" Dan wonders out loud when he opens his door. Nathan and Lucas normally never come by to visit. The only members of his family Dan sees regularly are Lily and Jamie.

"Dan this is not really a social visit. I am simply here so you can prepare yourself."

"Prepare myself for what?" Dan asks kind of worried.

"Someone at school read 'Ravens' and now they know!"

"Oh well then I guess thanks for telling me!"

"No thanks needed. We already talked to them and so I thought you should know. I got to go now. Bye!"

"Bye!" and with that the door closed again and father and son went back to their own lives.

****Jamie and Lily****

The next day in school it wasn't as bad as Lily had expected. Her friends offered her support and even the mean people who wanted to hurt her were silenced by Jamie. He offered her a hug which she returned in the middle of the quad. They demonstrated that they were still a unit and it wasn't all an act. Lily said to Jamie in a silent moment

"You didn't kill my dad so why should I be angry with you?"

Outside Jamie had been calm the whole day but inside he had been a mess but now all the pressure fell from his shoulders and somehow he felt like he could be himself again and in that moment he had made his decision.

****TRIC****

It was a tradition now that after the first game of the Basketball season Karen and Deb would host an all ages night at TRIC and this year to top it they had a live performer again, Mia Catalano. The young woman walked into the club where she had started out when her phone started to ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey Mia it's me Karen. I am going to run a little late but you know where to find everything. Feel like at home!"

"No problem!" and Mia motioned her crew to start setting up.

****Basketball****

Meanwhile across town in the Tree Hill gym the Ravens started to warm up. Nathan is still in his office reviewing some last minutes footage he got from the opponents last test match. He was busy taking notes when a knock on his door disturbed his concentration.

"Yes?" he said irritated. When Nathan looked up he saw the confused face of Michael. The teen just stood there in the door and didn't say a word.

"What is it, Mike? Did someone get hurt during the warm up?" Nathan asked now himself getting worried by the silence of his player.

"No, not exactly but do you know where Jamie is at? He didn't show up at all!"

"What? Jamie isn't here?"

"Yeah and he didn't say something to me but you as his dad might know where he is!" Nathan took a moment to think and then instructed the teen

"You go back into the gym and tell Skillz to take over warm up and everything until I get back. I am going to look for Jamie!"

"Ok coach. I hope everything is okay!" with that Mike hurried back to the team and Nate grabbed his coat and all but ran to his car.

He quickly called Haley to check if he has left the house and got the answer

"Yes he did but now that you call he didn't take his duffel bag with him. Please find him! I can't leave TRIC right now."

After driving down the roads between their home and the school he only knew one more place besides the river court to look for his son, the cemetery. In the twilight he could barely make out different headstones but after checking Keith's he could already see the outline of a cowering person in front of another familiar headstone. When he came nearer Nathan could hear his son's voice talking.

"Q I really don't know if I still want to play. I mean one of idols, my grandpa Dan killed his own brother! I mean I have no brother, yet but I have friends and really don't want to have the pressure to be the perfect player! My dad was a great player and he had a really successful career and now everyone expects me to be as good! But what if I can't or if I break under the pressure? What should I do, Q? Can you give me a sign?"

and Nathan chose this moment to make his presence known and put a hand on his sons shoulder. The young man's head shot up.

"Dad, look …!" he started to explain why he was here but his father stopped him.

"No need to explain, son but you should know I don't want you to be the best player or anything. You are my son and I love you no matter what! If you don't want to play anymore okay but you shouldn't quit just because you feel pressured. I want you to have fun when you step on the court! You can always talk to me when you feel to much pressure. What do you say we go back to the gym and when you feel like it you play and if not you can sit on the bench with me and help coaching?"

Jamie nods his head and silently thanks Q for his advice.


	6. Love in this club

**A/N: Short but necessary. Cookies for the first telling me the song I used.

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**Jamie felt great after the game. He didn't feel pressure to play and Nathan had let him decide if and when he wanted to step on the court. In the second quarter Jamie had felt like playing and so he asked and was heard. The Ravens won and so it was the perfect setting for the all ages party at TRIC which Deb and Karen had put together with Haley's help. The kids all arrived after having changed their clothes and the crowd was buzzing, impatiently waiting for the show to begin.

*+*+*

Behind the stage Haley was talking to Mia and going over the set list one last time when Nate came up to her and told her about the great game and about what he and Jamie had talked about. "Thank god you found him! And we really need to tell him more that we love him no matter what!" she breathed out relieved. The adults came to the conclusion that they would talk to Jamie the next day and Nathan went over to Karen, Andy and his mom and sat down. Mia steps out on stage and says :

"Hey Tree Hill how are you tonight? Are you ready for a surprise?" and the crowd answers with thunderous applause.

"I am going to perform a new song tonight and it is a duet with a great friend and a person who supported me from the get go; give it up for Haley James Scott!"

Everyone is stunned. No one knew that Haley recorded a song with Mia.

The music started and the girls sang:

_Im Sturz durch Raum und Zeit _  
_ Richtung Unendlichkeit, _  
_ fliegen Motten in das Licht, _  
_ genau wie du und ich._

_ Wrap your fingers round my neck _  
_ You dont speak my dialect _  
_ But our images reflect _  
_ Drawn together by the flame _  
_ We are just the same _  
_ Embrace the wind and fall into _  
_ Another time and space._

_ Gib mir die Hand, _  
_ ich bau dir ein Schloß aus Sand, _  
_ irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann. _  
_ If we belong to each other, we belong _  
_ Anyplace anywhere anytime._

_ Im Sturz durch Zeit und Raum _  
_ erwacht aus einem Traum _  
_ nur ein kurzer Augenblick, _  
_ dann kehrt die Nacht zurück._

_ Bits and pieces from your storm _  
_ Rain upon me as they form _  
_ Melt into my skin and I feel warm _  
_ Sweep upon me like a wave _  
_ We are young and brave _  
_ Embrace the wind and float into _  
_ Another time and space._

_ Gib mir die Hand, _  
_ ich bau dir ein Schloß aus Sand, _  
_ irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann. _  
_ If we belong to each other, we belong _  
_ Anyplace anywhere anytime._

_ If we belong to each other, we belong _  
_ Anyplace anywhere anytime._  
_ Im going to any world youre coming from _  
_ Anyplace anywhere anytime._

_ Gib mir die Hand, _  
_ ich bau dir ein Schloß aus Sand, _  
_ irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann._  
_ Im going to any world youre coming from _  
_ Anyplace anywhere anytime._

Jamie was standing with his friends and listens in awe. He didn't even know his mom spoke German. When he comes back to reality he realizes that he is alone. His friends have disappeared and so he starts looking for them. He figures Lily and Michael went somewhere to be alone and so he concentrates on finding Kyle or Sophia somewhere.

Lily pulls on Michaels hand and leads him to the back of the club.

"Where are we going?" the boy asks confused.

"Well we were interrupted last time and I know of a place no one is going to look for us anytime soon…" she answers him in a seductive voice which compels Mike to pin her to the next wall and kiss her hungrily. After a couple of seconds Lily pushes him off and opens the door to Peyton's old office.

"Here we are!"

Meanwhile Jamie is still walking around the club looking for his friends but he can't find them anywhere inside. Not on the dance floor and nowhere in the booths or bathrooms. So he decides to go outside and try to call Kyle. When he steps into the parking lot he spots Kyle's car and he can make out that there is someone in it so he walks over to knock on the window but before he can reach the car the door opens and two persons stumble outside. He feels a pang in his heart when he recognizes Sophia as the girl in Kyle's arms and in a sudden urge he storms forward and grabs Kyle by the collar and punches him in the jaw. Sophia cries out and when she realizes she can't stop the fighting she calls Lily for help.

Lilly and Michael are stopped from what they wanted to do in a split second when they hear about Jamie beating up Kyle. On the way out they grab Nate and Andy and a security guy. Outside Lily immediately goes to Sophia and takes the by now crying girl in her arms.

"What happened?" Lily asks her distraught friend but she gets no answer just soft sobbing.

The whole situation didn't make sense to anyone at all.

When Nathan and Andy finally managed to pull the teens apart both boys asked simultaneously

"How could you? What is wrong with you?"

No one dared to speak but suddenly there was a voice.

"They are obviously in love with the same girl or at least one of them and the other hooked up with her!"

The group spins around to see a white stretch limo pull away and there she is Tree Hills very own Brooke Davis! Haley, who by now finished her set came running down the stairs and greeted her friend with a hug.

"Brooke what are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't arrive until tomorrow!"

"I hurried after the whole book incident and it appears I am too late non the less."

"What the hell did happen here?" Haley asks after seeing Jamie and Kyle, both with split lips and the beginnings of shiners in their faces.

"Jamie came out and just started beating up Kyle!" Sophia says softly.

Brooke puts her hands and her hip and smiles triumphantly "Just like I said!"

In all the drama no one had noticed that Chelsea had arrived by now too but when she drops her bag in shock Jamie looks in her direction.

"Chels it is so not what she said!" The young girl grabs her bag and starts to run away. Jamie struggles against his fathers grip who is still holding onto him.

"Let him go he needs to talk to her!" Haley demands and puts a hand on her husbands arm. Brooke leans in and asks

"Was that…?"

"Yes that is Jamie's girlfriend."

After a short sprint Jamie caught up with Chelsea. The girl was crying and sobbing loudly and when Jamie tried to take her in his arms she flinched and pulled away.

"Go and leave me alone! Go and be with Sophia, you loved her all along!"

"Chels this is ridicoulus I am with you! I love you!" he tries again to turn her and kiss her to prove his point but Chelsea slaps him in the face. "No you don't! You just beat up your best friend because he was with her!"


	7. False Pretense

**I don't know if anyone is still reading this but if you do I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Sunday at family dinner you could cut the air with a knife. The adults were disappointed in the kids and the kids were angry for being grounded. On top of that Nathan had benched Jamie for the time being. As a result of being grounded the Sott teens had nothing much to do besides sitting in their rooms and read a book or count flies. Lily got grounded in the aftermath of the whole thing when Peyton watched the security tapes from TRIC and her office with Brooke. No one really spoke during dinner and so the group went separate ways pretty fast. Haley and Karen didn't understand their kids and no one really could explain why Lily was so damn fascinated with having sex, well no one besides Brooke who had a pretty easy explanation:

"She is a Scott!"

Jamie spent the whole day lying on his bed thinking about what the hell had happened. He couldn't really explain but he knew it wasn't fair to string Chelsea along when he wasn't sure what he was feeling right now. So he made plans to talk to her as soon as he could.

Monday in school everyone was talking about Jamie and Kyle's fight and what that would mean. Chelsea tried to keep her head high but it hurt. All the kids were whispering and pointing but as soon as she came anywhere close to them they stopped talking and only looked at her pitiful. After first period she went to look for Jamie so they could talk about what had happened. She finally found him on the bleachers of the gym twirling a basketball in his hands.

"Here you are! I was looking for you outside." Chelsea said softly while she approached him."What are you doing?"

Jamie's head shot up and his features shortly break into a smile.

"Hey, just sitting here, thinking about … well everything." He gives back shrugging his shoulders.

After a couple of seconds of silence they both say: "About Saturday …"

Always the gentleman Jamie signals her that she should go first.

"Jamie what happened to us? I mean we were so good together but over the summer something changed. Maybe it'll be better if we break up and stay just friends!" when she was finished Jamie looked at her relieved.

"I was kind of thinking the same thing. I mean I am not sure what I feel anymore. Yeah staying friends would be great for now."

They hugged and both reaffirmed their new and tenuous friends status. Chelsea got up to leave and asks

"I'll see you in practice later?"

"Probably I'll be the guy running extra laps and sit on the bench during the game handing out water bottles."

"Your dad benched you?"

"Yeah it is his rule,remember? You get caught fighting and you are benched for the next game. Well I got to run if I don't want to be late for my next class." With that the two exes part ways and head off to their different classrooms.

Jamie next class was English literature and unfortunately his mom was teaching that one today.

"Good morning class. In the notes I have you should have prepared chapter 10. Who can give me a summary of what happens?" Haley starts off and looks around the room. No one reacts. The teens all try to appear busy with something ranging from pretending to sleep to drawing circles won the table top with their fingers. "No one prepared anything?" she asks again but before she can give out a class assignment Jamie speaks up.

"Why should we give you a summary of what happened. It is your damn life and you know all that happened. The book is stupid and I am going to leave now!" Jamie grabs his backpack and goes to leave but before he has left the room he hears

"Detention tomorrow after class and no basketball for at least a month!" That is the hazard of having your parents at the same school. The rest of the morning James skipped all of his classes and just sat outside in the courtyard blaming himself and all the people around him for his crappy situation.

"If Lucas never had written the damn book, if Kyle hadn't tried to get with Sophia, if Mom and Dad had different jobs… "

He couldn't say how long he had sat out there in the yard when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, can we talk?" He looks up to see Sophia standing in front of him.

"I guess. What's up?"

"I wanted to ask about Saturday… I mean what happened?"

"I can't say. I mean I just reacted when I saw you with Kyle."

"You are with Chelsea so what is it to you? Can't I be happy too?"

"Yes you should be happy but I am not with Chels anymore. We broke up this morning. Listen I don't know what is going on right now and I have no idea how this is going to work. I just hope I can salvage my friendship with Kyle."

"I hope that too and I am sorry that you and Chelsea broke up." Sophia hugs him and kisses him on the cheek before she leaves him alone again. Unbeknownst to them Kyle observes their exchange and he feels anger rise in his chest. Having heard already that Chelsea and Jamie had broken up he only thought that Jamie now was moving on to Sophia taking her away from him.

"That means war!"

In the evening during basketball practice Nathan has the boy's pair up to play a little one on one and to avoid fighting he puts Kyle and Jamie with other boys but at the end for the training game the twosome ends up on the same team. Usually the two play very well together but tonight they freeze each other out and occasionally foul each other. This leads to Nathan closing practice early and keeping Jamie back to clean up the gym. The other guys on the team get vocal about how much it sucks that their captain and his supposed friend can't forget about their differences on the court and how they both need to work it out before playing with the team again. The team decides to freeze both of them out in hopes that being alone will make them discuss their issues and become friends or at least friendly again.

While Jamie cleans up in the gym Nathan is in his office going over some plays when he notices a message on his voicemail. While he is listening to the voice on the other end his face turns from happy to very angry but he doesn't get up.

"We really need some help with this book problem." He thinks and dials a familiar number. When the person on the other end picks up he just says

"Your husband needs to come to Tree Hill fast!"

In the meantime James has finished tidying up and has taken a shower. He just needs his books for homework but when he opens his lockers the first thing he sees is a piece of paper.

_"Keep your paws of of Sophia or you will regret it!"_


	8. Stab My Back

**Here is the next part. It is a little short but I hope you still enjoy. I even used the line given to me ;)**

* * *

Jamie laid awake thinking about that stupid note all night. Yes with Tree Hill being a small town probably the whole school knew about his break up by end of school but that someone would assume his next step would be Sophia, that he couldn't explain. He hadn't been a player and he never wanted to be one. He tried to figure out who sent him the note but with it being typed up at a computer and then printed out he had no proof. There was only one person that came to his mind as the sender of the note. He closed his eyes dreaming up ways to get even.

Breakfast at the Scott's wasn't fun. Jamie still hadn't apologized to Haley and Nathan was beyond angry. He didn't want Jamie to turn into the person he was before he had met Haley but right now he had no idea what to do to prevent it.

Jamie headed to school early so he could deal with the person he thought responsible for the letter. He found Kyle pretty quickly and shoved him up against the lockers.

"Are you crazy?" Kyle exclaims shocked.

"I am crazy? Did you think a letter would scare me?" Jamie replies.

"What letter?" with that Kyle manages to shove Jamie back and breathe again.

Jamie reaches in his pocket and pulls out the piece of paper he found last night.

"This letter! You didn't even sign it! Looser!"

Kyle takes the paper and glances at it then he replies. "I didn't send you this, stupid idiot! If it was me it would be signed!"

Jamie didn't take lightly that Kyle had called him idiot and moments later both boys were fighting and rolling around on the floor. When Nathan had arrived in school he had heard shouting coming down the corridor and went there to investigate and maybe mediate but what he saw shocked him. His son and his sons' friend, two of his players were rolling around on the floor like in a bar fight.

"Scott! Evans! With me! The rest of you get to class!" He bellowed and dispersed the group of teens in the hallway.

The two boys follow Nathan silently but they send each other glares every other moment. When they reach the coaches office Nathan takes a seat behind his desk and motions for the frenemies to sit in the remaining two chairs. Nathan looks at the boys and remembers a time when he was sitting in this office on the opposite side of the table but back then he wasn't fighting with a friend he was fighting his brother.

_That feels like a lifetime ago._

"You two know the rules. Whoever gets caught fighting gets suspended. Jamie is already suspended for attacking you on Saturday but now you openly participated and I can't make out who started it so Kyle you are benched too. If you can't explain to me what the hell is going on you are both of the team for the time being. You don't come to practice and you don't sit on the bench during games."

Both boys hang their heads but stay silent. Nathan observes the boys and he notices the hateful glares they send each other. After a while of silent glares Nathan starts:

"If you two are fighting over what I think you are fighting over you haven't understood your English assignment. I hope you two can work out your differences and when you can be civil with each other again we can talk about basketball and rejoining the team."

After that the boys are dismissed and go their different ways – for now.

In the afternoon Jamie serves his detention with Haley. No other student received a detention slip for today and so Haley tries to talk to her son.

"Jamie what is going on? What happened on Saturday and what did happen today? Can you explain that to me?" The teen stays silent and all but ignores his mother.

At the end of detention he stormed out and when he gets in the yard he sees Kyle. Jamie has no intention to fight again and get suspended from the team forever so he turns the other way to avoid his former friend. Jamie had left the school grounds when he runs into Dan.

_Great! What does he want now?_

"Hello Jamie! I heard you have a bit of an attitude problem right now. Your mom is sad and worried that you won't talk to her. You shouldn't freeze out your family. Your parents love you and want only the best for you. I know it is not easy and parents can be a pain but you will realize one day that your family is the most important thing. And if you have pushed them too far away they might not take you back even if you regret your mistakes." After this little speech Jamie explodes and shouts:

" Well I haven't killed my brother yet so maybe I don't understand what you're saying!" and with that he storms away.

After a very awkward dinner at home Jamie goes to the rivercourt to shoot some hoops and decompress. He had been at it for a while when he hears a person approaching. It is Kyle and before Jamie can say one word Kyle starts yelling at him.

"It is all your fault! You stupid idiot! You just need to ruin all our lives! Sophia and I could have been happy! But you just had to get in the way and hurt Chelsea in the process! And now I am off the team because of your stupid games!" When Kyle is finished with his little rant he takes aim and shoots one perfect hoop and leaves again.

Jamie stays behind and tries to make a basket but he can't. At his last try the ball bounces off the rim and falls in the River.


	9. Easier To Lie

_"It is all your fault! You stupid idiot! You just need to ruin all our lives! Sophia and I could have been happy! But you just had to get in the way and hurt Chelsea in the process! And now I am off the team because of your stupid games!" When Kyle is finished with his little rant he takes aim and shoots one perfect hoop and leaves again._

_Jamie stays behind and tries to make a basket but he can't. At his last try the ball bounces off the rim and falls in the River._

* * *

Over the next week Dan tries to contact Jamie multiple times but every call goes unanswered and are never returned. If he had to guess his voicemails were deleted without even having been listened too. Dan understands Jamie's reaction all too good. His sons both had about the same reaction. Through the little contact he has with Nathan he also knows that his grandson now not rarely but never mentions him. So he decides to give James time to come to terms with the situation and waits for his grandson to contact him again.

Jamie's week hadn't been all that great too. He couldn't make a basket to save his life right now and so it wasn't all bad that he was off the team and so he concentrated, or at least tried to, on school and his academic work in general. During brakes and free periods he made a point of staying inside and in the library so he wouldn't see Kyle and Sophia together. Little did he know that it wasn't really working all that well between these two.

After the party at TRIC Sophia and Kyle had put the brakes on their budding romance but they wanted to try and go out. Their dates were more awkward then nice. They were both trying too hard and it wasn't working at all.

Yesterday at the movies had been especially bad. Everytime Kyle tried to put his arm around Sophias shoulders she shook him off and all but shoved him away. After the movie Kyle told her "I can't do this. I can't compete with an idea." And just walks away.

The girl was so perplex she couldn't even manage one word to stop him. The next morning Sophia tries calling Kyle to talk but only gets his voicemail and when she tries to visit him at home his parents tell her he doesn't want to see her.

So Sophia wanders around town aimlessly sunken in her thoughts. She knows who she blames for her troubles with Kyle. After a while she arrived at the river court and sits down on the bleachers to wallow.

"If Jamie hadn't hit Kyle all this awkwardness could've been avoided!" were her predominant thoughts. She daydreamed of her could've-been-relationship when she was harshly interrupted by the sound of a basketball hoping of the rim. Her head shot up and she just started to shout:

"Why did you hit Kyle! You had no right! You still have no right to be angry! You chose Chelsea!" "I don't know why I hit Kyle! I am not with Chelsea anymore! And what the hell can I do more? I left you alone!" When they are finished screaming the two teens are face to face and the Scott boy can only think about one thing to do; He kisses the out of breath girl in front of him.

For a little moment time stops around the teens and Sophia enjoys the kiss but soon she realizes that this is wrong and runs of, leaving Jamie alone in his confusion.

After the kiss Jamie goes back home. He needs someone to talk to and luckily for him his uncle arrived in town yesterday.

Lucas had reacted to Nate's phone call as quickly as he could, but with his new book he couldn't leave New York every time there was trouble in Tree Hill.

The whole situation run down reminded the older blond Scott a lot of his and his brother's teen years. He just hoped talking to his nephew would have a positive effect on the situation and maybe spare the teen bigger problems. And so he was sitting in his brothers living room waiting for Jamie to come back home.


	10. Here We Are

Over the next couple of days James spends every free minute with his uncle Lucas. He asks everything he wants to know about the history of his parents and their friends. It was still unexplainable to him why they would've let Dan back in their lives but as Lucas pointed out, the adults weren't actually socializing with the eldest Scott man, they were only tolerating his contact with the youngest generation. After a while Lucas asks the tougher questions.

"So what about your friends? Why aren't you talking to or about them?"

"I can't talk to them. I mean I hurt Chelsea and we decided to break up, so I am trying to give her space so we can maybe stay friends and with Kyle and Sophia, I don't know. He won't talk to me, not that I really want to be around him but I guess we need to talk soon, that is if I want to play basketball again."

"Right you are still off the team. What are you going to do about that? Do you really want to quit?"

"I am not sure. I can't play right now. I mean I try shooting at the rivercourt but I never hit the basket! It is like fate wants to tell me something, namely to stop!" Jamie says and he sounds really defeated.

In Lucas' head slowly forms a plan and he decides to talk to his brother and best friend in the evening after dinner about it. To confirm the pair has time he sends Haley a text and promptly gets an ok and an invitation to dinner.

Meanwhile Lily deals with her anger and sadness in her own way. Technically she is still grounded but she didn't want to do this over the phone. So she headed for the beach house instead to go home after school.

When Dan opens the door he is surprised to find his niece, he hadn't thought she would seek him out ever again after everything. He was unsure of what to say so he went with:

"This is a surprise."

"Why?" Three letters, one word. But they had so much gravity.

Dan couldn't say a word. He couldn't explain to Lily what went on in his head back then, but he knew he regretted it deeply now.

"I don't want to see you ever again, if you can't explain this!"

With that Lily Scott left her uncle and fought against her tears. She didn't know what she expected but this was definitely not it.

Lead by her sadness she ended up at her father's grave where she sits down and thinks for a long while.

In the late afternoon she finally goes home. In her mind she knows something has to be wrong, because no one called her to see where she was all day and she was supposed to be home hours ago. When she opens the door to her room, she hears her mother and Andy talking, well mostly Andy.

"Why won't you talk to me? What is going on?"

No answer. He continues "You know I know about Keith and I know you loved him very much but you married me. I want to help you but I can't when you don't tell me what is going on in your head!"

He must have tried to put a hand on her shoulder because now Karen's voice was heard "Don't touch me!"

Shortly after she heard the door of the master bed room slam shut and then the front door opened and closed.

Andy had left.

Lily didn't want to think about anything else than her dad. So she pulled out the old picture of Keith she had and searched in her closet for her very own 'Keith's body shop'-hoodie.

Yeah, that was perfect for reading Lucas's book.


	11. I Do It For You

Lily didn't sleep at all that night. She stayed up and read 'Ravens' in one go, well she got to the shooting and then she started crying and couldn't stop. But with her awake all night she heard Andy come back home early in the morning when Karen was already in the kitchen preparing breakfast. She heard a hushed argument and the second Andy mentioned Keith Karen asked him to move out. At least for a while.

Lily was confused. She couldn't explain herself what was wrong but she also knew she couldn't do anything about that right now. She needed to get better herself and she desperately wanted to talk to her friends, more importantly her boyfriend. So she texted him before she even went to breakfast which was only a coffee today. And Karen didn't even notice so much in her own thoughts was the woman.

Later in school Lily and Michael made plans for the afternoon. They were going to meet at Mike's house since his parents were away for the day.

Sophia and Chelsea have the same free period and traditionally they would spend it together gossiping. Sophia walked to their spot just out of habit and when she arrived there Chelsea was already there. Chelsea was waiting for Sophia, because she missed their friendship.

"Soph thank god you came here. Can we talk? I miss our friendship."

"Yeah, I miss you too, but before you decide we are still friends I have to tell you something…"

"What is it?"

"I kinda kissed Jamie last weekend."

"Oh, how did that happen? Are you together now?"

"No we aren't together and we aren't going to be. Not any time soon anyway. I couldn't do that to you."

"And how did it happen? Sorry I am nosy " Sophia asked with a grin on her face and shrugging apologetic.

"Oh , I yelled at him, he yelled at me and then we were so close and we kissed, I can't explain it. But I pushed him away and haven't talked to him since."

"Why, you can talk to him! I don't mind."

"I don't know it is just weird. I had a crush on Kyle forever and I mean I never considered to date Jamie and now I just don't know how to act now."

"Why did you never think about Jamie that way? Because I was dating him? Oh god, you could've imagined but if you had actively gone after him I would've been angry, but you didn't. You didn't do anything wrong! If you really want to date him, go ahead but let me get used to it first before you shove it in my face ok!"

Sophia can't think of anything to say to that and so she just hugs her friend.

"So and now let's change the topic and talk about something more fun!" Chelsea offers and the girls chit chat until the period is over.

Lucas sat at the bar at TRIC and checked his tablet for mails and news on his book. He already had talked with Peyton when he heard the door open and close.

"We are still closed!"

"I know" replied a familiar voice.

He whirls around to face the 'intruder'

"Brooke Davis, you are here?"

"Yes, I am here. All hell broke loose because of your little book and because Jamie hit his best friend over a girl!"

"OK that explains it all…" he answers with a grin and walks over to Brooke to hug her hello.

"So Scott what are you doing, sitting here in the dark all alone?"

"Thinking about Jamie and a way to help him. I have an idea but I have to tell Haley and Nate first to ask their opinion."

"Do you want to try your idea on me first?" the brunette Designer offers but Luke negates and after another couple of pleasantries the two already part ways but make plans to have drinks before Lucas flies back to New York.

Dinner in the Scott household usually is a pretty lively event but tonight Jamie barely says a word.

"Hey James, did you make a decision about basketball?" Lucas opens the conversation and hopes he can forget his idea but Jamie doesn't even answer he just shakes his head.

"Why can't you decide? Can we help?" Haley worries.

"No Mom, you can't help me. I know that I need to make up with Kyle but I don't want to do it just so I can play ball again. Something I am not entirely sure I even want to do anymore!" the young man replies aggressively.

"Ok, James, that was so not the right tone, to take with your mother. Especially after I told you it was ok if you are not the greatest player in the world. I don't expect you to be, but I expect you to have fun when you step on the court!" Nathan intercepts. "And now you clean up your plate and go straight to your room! No TV tonight!"

Wordless Jamie cleans the table and leaves the adults to talk.

"So Luke you wanted to talk?!" Haley asks her friend.

"Yeah, I had an idea about how to help Jamie. I wanted to offer him to come to New York for the rest of the year. He could finish school up there and look at colleges to. He would live with me and Peyton."

"Kind of like when you tried to move with Keith." Haley responds.

"Yeah and I came back."

"It could work! But have you realized how freaky similar the situations are?" Nathan pointed out.

"And? What are you trying to say?" Luke turns to his brother.

"I don't know. Just felt like mentioning it. Are you going to tell your nephew what you have planned for him?"

"Yes, if you don't mind I'll tell him right now. So I can buy a ticket for him."

"No, you go ahead."

On the other side of town Lily and Michael are making out on the boys bed.

Until now it has always stopped before the two of them got too serious and to Lily's surprise it had always been the 'perfect gentleman' who had stopped them but tonight was different.

He went to pull her shirt over her head and opens her bra. She knows where this is going and right now she doesn't care. She feels good that someone is giving her that much attention. But the fun is stopped abruptly when Lily's phone rings and her mom orders her home.


	12. For What It's Worth

**AN: Three chapters without a note ... so now if you are still reading. Drop me a note and say hi. Thanks and enjoy.**

* * *

The music is blasting from his nephew's room so Lucas doesn't bother to knock but simply enters. Jamie is ignoring his presence. He has nothing to say to any adult right now. Being sent to your room after dinner is for babies and he doesn't appreciate being treated that way.

"Stop behaving like a little child and maybe we will treat you differently." Lucas opens the conversation and Jamie turns to face him perplex

"How did you..." "Know what you were thinking? Easy I was a teenager once too! Remember?"

"Yes I remember. Sorry but why are you here?"

"We just had dinner together." Lucas replied matter of factly.

"Not what I meant. Why are you in my room, now, after dinner?"

"I wanted to talk to you about an idea I had. And just so you know: I talked to your parents first and they said it is your decision!" Lucas stopped to take a breath and muster his nephew. James looked utterly confused but curious.

"You read my book right? So you know that when I was about your age I moved away for a little while."

"Yeah you went to live with Keith. Why are we talking about that?"

"So the point is, if you want to, you can come and live with me and Peyton in New York and finish high school there, but the catch is, your attitude has to change. You need to seriously focus on school and maybe basketball if you want to. And no drama!(And by drama I mean fighting!)"

James wasn't sure he was hearing right, he slapped himself just to be sure he was even awake.

"You are serious? I could leave this town and start over fresh? And mom and dad are okay with it?"

"I wouldn't say they are totally happy about you leaving but if it is what you want, they will let you leave."

"Ok I will make the move. And I promise no more drama but I am not sure about basketball."

"Good night J-Luke! Go to bed its late. I'll your parents."

"Thanks Uncle Lucas and good night"

The next morning was interesting and weird for more than one Tree Hill resident.

Jamie had only to in school for second period and so his parents had already left when he got up. So he didn't have a chance to talk to them about his decision. "So it has to wait until tonight!" he decided in his head.

Lily Roe Scott was having dinner with her mom, but she hadn't been looking forward to it. "Can she see on my face that I had sex? I hope not" were her last thoughts before sitting down at the table. But Lily quickly realized that her mom was distracted and sad.

"Mom what is wrong? Where is Andy?"

Karen started crying and Lily could see now that it clearly wasn't the first time her mother had had tears streaming down her face in recent hours. That scared her.

"Mom you are scaring me. What happened?"

"We are getting divorced. And that is all I am going to tell you. You are my child and you don't need to deal with this. And now you have to go if you don't want to be late."

Lily was so confused she actually left without saying a proper goodbye to her mom. She had a lot of questions about what the divorce meant and if she would be affected but for right now she was looking forward to seeing Mike again. She had missed him so much, it was ridiculous because they had just been together that night.

When the Scott girl arrived in school she had to go straight to her classroom so she didn't have a chance to try to talk to Michael. "I'll see him at lunch!" she thought and smiled.

When Jamie arrived in school Sophia was sitting in their usual spot. Both of them only started in second period and so they spent the time before hand together just hanging out and talking. "Maybe that is why I was so jealous of Kyle? She basically always was my 'second' girlfriend! Wow I sound like a jerk." Were his thoughts while he walked over to her. He also decided that she was going to be the first one to know that he was leaving.

"Hey Soph what are you doing?"

Sophia held up her book "Reading 'The Hobbit', I want to finish it before I go see the movie."

"Can you stop for a minute and listen? I have some new that may save your relationship with Kyle."

"I am not with Kyle anymore, so I don't know what there is to save but tell me anyway."

"I am leaving on Friday."

"Where are you going?"

"New York to live with my uncle Lucas and his wife."

"Wait a second. Did you just say you are leaving and going to live in New York?!" Sophia held up her hand. Only now had she realized James wasn't talking about a weekend trip but he was telling her he was moving away.

"Yeah I am going to finish school out there."

"Why? That makes no sense. All your friends are here!" (I am here) she added in her thoughts.

"Great friend I am I hurt a lot of people and that you are still talking to me is … well a miracle if you want!"

"No, you are my friend. And you were confused by your feelings. Kyle will get over it and didn't you and Chelsea decide to stay friends? And what about basketball? Did you tell the others already?"

"You are the first one to know and you are basically my only friend right now so it is okay. I don't know about basketball, why is everyone asking that question?"

The teens continued their conversation and a little while later they had to get to class. Sophia still wasn't sure if she really understood why her friend wanted to leave but she accepted it. "But maybe it really is a chance for Kyle and me to work?" Were her last thought before chemistry was starting.

At lunch Lily was looking for Michael and she spotted him across the yard so she happily skipped over to where he was sitting with his buddies. She wanted to hug him and kiss him just like she had done every day since they started dating but Mike pushed her away and told her:

"Come on Scott, you didn't think we were a real couple? You were a more difficult lay but just that. And now shoo!"

Lily left and fought back her tears. She was so hurt she couldn't even be angry or humiliated. She just was sad, for now.

As a result of Jamie telling Sophia he was leaving she spent her lunch break with the Scott boy. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with him before he left (and maybe I can change his mind?.. she thought to herself). That didn't go unnoticed by Kyle and Chelsea who had started hanging out in school to commiserate. Chelsea shot her best friend and exboyfriend angry looks every other minute and out of the blue Kyle suggested :"We could hook up. You and me and show them that we don't need them!"

Although Chelsea protested at first and called Kyle crazy in the end the twosome had sex in the backseat of Kyle's car.

Somehow it didn't make her feel better.


	13. What You Got

Haley was enjoying having one of her oldest girlfriends in town. And today she was going to tell her friend a big secret. She smiled knowingly on her way to the café where she was meeting Brooke. Her friend was going to be so happy for her, Haley was sure.

"Hey B, sorry I am a little late, but I had to stay for office hours and the last problem was a bit more complex. Did you wait long?"

"Not at all Hales, I just arrived."

"Thank god, you never change!"

"What's that supossed to mean?" Brooke replied feigning to be hurt. "A what the hell I am always late for something!" she laughs it off almost instantly.

"How long are you going to stay in Tree Hill anyway?" Haley changes the subject.

"I have a ticket for next week. And next month I have a meeting Paris so I should be leaving soon. Can't stay on vacation forever"

"What are you planning next for 'Clothes over Bros'?"

"I honestly have no idea, right now I have in mind the punk inspired collection but that is not nearly finished."

" ? Does Peyton know that you are planning a collection with her name?"

"Yes she does and she signed the papers that allow me to use her name. Why? Are you jealous?"

"Not exactly but I may have some news that could inspire you…" Haley replies mischievously.

"Ok spill it, teacher mom what you got?" Brooke took the bate. She really is easy that way.

"You have 'Baby Brooke' but have you ever thought about a maternity line?"

Brooke took a couple of seconds to consider the idea but then it hit her.

"Are you ..?" Haley nods and Brooke squeals "Congratulations! And yes you are getting a maternity line with your name somewhere on it!"

The rest of the afternoon Brooke dragged her friend around the mall shopping for baby related stuff.

In school it was time for basketball practice and for the first time since he had been kicked off the team James sat in the bleachers watching. If he was honest to himself he was here to spend as much time as possible with his dad before he was leaving for New York but only watching his old team practice stung at least a little.

He enjoyed watching his dad anyway. Nathan had been a great player but he was a brilliant coach. He knew how to motivate his players and always got them to break their limits.

The end of practice ritual was a game. The players separated into two teams and started. Jamie watched in awe how Kevin stole the ball and dribbled over the court. He was unhindered and so he went for a lay-in but when he landed on the floor he twisted his ankle. After a couple of minutes of assessment it was clear that Kevin wouldn't be able to finish out the game. Nathan was about to tell them that practice was over when he heard his son: "I'll step in for Kevin, if you let me!"

Nathan looked at his players and then at his son "Go ahead. But be careful! I don't want any more injuries today!"

The boys finished the game and Nathan was proud of his son. He had seen that James enjoyed playing and he could say that his son was good. Really good.

Jamie stayed and helped his father clean up the gym after practice and so Nathan took his chance:

"Why didn't you even make an effort to rejoin the team? You obviously love to play?"

"I couldn't bring myself to do it. I think I just needed a break from all of it."

"So you are basically running away to New York?"

"I thought you were okay with this? You don't sound like it"

"We said it was your choice and we wouldn't stop you but that doesn't mean I am happy with my son leaving home and finishing high school in another city."

"I understand." And with that the conversation was over. Nathan tried on the drive back home once more to understand why Jamie had basically quit basketball but his son remained mum and so all was left for him to do was hope that Lucas' plan worked.

* * *

**AN: So in the spirit of the holidays this was your present for this year from me;). Reviews make me want to write (again). Enjoy what ever you are doing for the rest of this holiday season. I for one am hoping for colder temperatures (in Germany it is really more like spring, early summer right now temperature wise)**

**Cya **

** Lalez**


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